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Greetings, comrades. My name is Lilliana Chalfant and I am a rising Junior at High Point University majoring in Communications and minoring in Marketing. I am so excited to be returning as a Style Guru for CollegeFashionista! Being part of this trendy crew for the past four months has been incredible and I only foresee it getting better. Tackling my first semester as a Style Guru while abroad in the Czech Republic had its share of challenges. I found myself in a constant state of uncomfortable eye contact with locals while scouting for the perfect Fashionista or Fashionisto. I’m sure I came off as a creepy tourist many a time but it was well worth it.

If someone asked me to describe my philosophy on fashion I would tell them that Alexander McQueen said it best. “It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, and up-and-coming designers all together.” This impeccably talented designer could not have been more in tune with my personal opinions. Style should not strictly be dictated by the latest magazine spreads. Although allowing brilliant designers to influence your style choices is more than encouraged, finding your own unique style is much more fun than following the crowd. Quite simply, the clothes we choose to wear convey our stories to the world. So if you can’t remember something special about what you’re wearing, you’re doing it wrong. Whether it is with a sweater from your favorite store or a ring from a far off place, an outfit should be a masterful compilation of your personality.

High Point University is home to about 5,000 very fashionable undergrads. Although the school is on the smaller side, it can still be a challenge to blaze your own path amongst a sea of Lilly Pulitzer dresses. No matter if you’re preppy or a hippie, breaking loose from the shackles of yoga pants and sweatshirts is pivotal for any college student.

As for me, I am spending my summer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the extremely trendy and unique seacoast town I like to call home. Stepping away from the monotony of college fashion and spreading my wings in a hipster-ridden place like Portsmouth really allows me to embrace the quirkiness in my own style.

I am a firm believer in mixing old with new. Day-to-day you can find me wearing staples from Free People or Forever 21 complemented by a unique piece I’ve acquired off the beaten path. I love to travel, I love to thrift shop and, I promise you, flea markets across the globe provide me with just as many treasures as my mom’s closet. What better way to be unique than to incorporate family history and cultured souvenirs into your wardrobe? Fashion to me is all about creating intrigue within your outfit.

So with that, I cannot wait to get started sharing the ways I incorporate runway style into my own personal wardrobe in my STYLE GURU STYLE column every Tuesday!